British contemporary Glass artist and craftsman

David Flower has been a leading light in UK glassmaking for over the last 15 years. He has worked exclusively on commission to the worldwide glass collecting fraternity and has pieces in collections as far afield as Saudi Arabia, Denmark and the United States.

David’s extensive expertise as a craftsman enables him to take on commissions of varied scale and complexity. He completed a significant project lead on £250,000 sculptures alongside completing chandeliers, dining tables and his beautiful pieces.

As an experienced maker, David is in demand to make the work of many other glass designers. He worked closely with the celebrated London glassmaker Peter Layton for many years, symbiotically designing and making for the great man. Now, as ever, David finds that making other artists’ work represents his greatest challenge, and Fran Staniland, Katherine Wightman and Gary Webb continue to stretch the master’s abilities.

“There is nothing impossible in glassmaking. The material must be listened to, respected and worked with but ultimately will coax into becoming. You cannot force it, but then again you cannot let it force you, you are in a symbiotic relationship with it; if you don’t love it, then it will not love you back.” David Flower

Reflecting back

The first piece of work that I remember making was a ceramic art piece when I was 13. I don’t know the thinking behind the concept very well, teenage angst seems to be the most likely culprit, but I can describe the piece of work: I sculpted my hand and forearm in clay, in the palm of my hand was my ideal house – complete in every detail.

The hand rose from a beach scene, and hundreds of steps were press into the wrist and forearm. However, the next steps do not make it to the outstretched palm. Down at the forearm base, was a train disappearing into a tunnel in the forearm, coming from the ocean side and reapplying on the beachside as an ocean liner scattering the beachgoers.

The other kids in the class were making pots and bowls with pretty pictures glazed into them whilst I sculpted an idyllic scene turned to carnage. My teachers thought I was odd, and I remember thinking that my classmates were strange – we could make anything we wanted, and they all made a pot or a bowl!